Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles How have your views changed over the years?

* I used to think my choice of cartridge mattered.
* I've tried lots of rifles, and have to the conclusion that I like what I always thought I liked.
* I've learned that hand loading can offer a huge advantage over factory ammo. Or not.

FC

Buy once, cry once.

I would say my tastes have changed a bit. Liking the lighter smaller rounds now. They do all that I ask of them. I still enjoy the 9.3X62 and have taken several deer with it, but no long like the big magnums. The Steyr in 6.5X57 and a synthetic stock is working for any time I don't take the big CZ.

No, can't say my likes/dislikes have changed much.

I got serious into hand loading and rifles in the 70s. During a decade 75-85 I went FROM the 270>>>to the 06. Thot I would not go back. Didn't happen. I left the 06 and didn't own one for years until 2010 or 11.

I slowly went from HEAVY rifles to light (in weight) and have NO plans nor intentions of ever carrying a heavy rifle again. Light rifles will do all my hunting just as well as any heavy rifle. My 300 WM is a 70 Win Lite, all up, hunt ready is LESS than 7.5 lbs.

At far as cal/cartridge, short actions don't interest me. I have 1, a 243 that belonged to my dad. Don't ever intend to get rid of it.

I like and use high velocity rounds. From 270, 7 RM , 300 WM etc. BTW will turn 64 next month.

Slow velocity.....YAWN. I own a 6.5X55 and it's not very exciting. NO it's not for sale because it's a Win 70 XTR FTWT. Love the rifle and tolerate the cartridge. I can't ABIDE a softball trajectory, don't see any advantage or NEED.

Performance still works for me.

I have done so much in rifles, loading, bullet testing, chronographing BETWEEN hunting seasons, I know what I like and what works for me. NOW I concentrate on hunting more than experimenting.

I still love our 270s, but since I gave my tried and trued BDL in 270 to my youngest son have gravitated towards large calibers (375 Weatherby, 500 Jeffery). I'm kind of a one rifle guy so tend to hunt with one rifle. I'm not spending 100 days in the field like I once did. I sure would like to again, maybe in a few years.

Ain't that the truth...

Now know an oz of shot will kill most upland birds and small game no matter what bore size or choke if I can manage to point the gun in the right spot.

Screw chokes do not offer enough advantages to offset the heavier weight barrels over fixed choke barrels and a light modified barrel is about as versatile as they come.

I agree with JB's article indicating 2700 fps is about ideal in a medium bore/capacity round for most all game and hunting conditions.

I use to prefer uncommon cartridges such as 257 Roberts, 7x57 and 16 ga. Now while I still have some of those I realize that I would have been just as well off with a 270 and a 12 ga and ammo is a lot cheaper.

Yep, for all hunting in the lower 48 I just don't feel a need for anything more than an 06 and would probably feel just fine with a 270. All my 35, 338, and 375's have gone bye bye. Kept a 300 mag just in case I get to Alaska one day and developed loads with 200 gr noslers.

I used to think deer rifles started and ended with the 6mm Rem . I now like other options with the 270 Win at the top of the list . I own and use the 7x57 but believe the 270 is better for all around use , but still love the 6mm Rem

At one time I snickered at folks who used 300 Mags on deer. I figured the excessive recoil and extra powder and noise weren't necessary for killing a critter that almost certainly would weigh under 300 pounds, maybe even half that. But after a mature, rutted up Missouri buck I shot made it 100 yards after having a 165 GK from an '06 put through both shoulders and absolutely demolishing his heart/lungs, I no longer snicker at the thought of using a big 30. I still use and love the '06, but can see the thinking behind using the mag.

Actually think the 303 Brit sucks more now than when I was a kid.

They are two separate hobbies that have a common bond. I enjoy them both.

Probably the main thing for me is the realization that the glass on a rifle is more important than the rifle itself in most cases, and that there's no such thing as too much magnification.

I used to never give barrel twist rates a thought. Now I do. I used to think that CF rifles were the ONLY way to hunt deer with. Now stick and string give me more satisfaction. I used to have a burning desire to kill a deer. Now I have a burning desire for my grandson to kill a deer. The one thing that has never changed is the 30-06 just can't seem to be replaced.

I used to work my azz off to get sub-1" groups. Now I am more than good with 1 1/2"+ loads which come pretty quick and easy.

This is true, esp here in the east.

I have found that when I was young and used to drool over the Weatherby MK V .340 in the glass cases I couldn't afford one. Now I can afford one but can't find one.

I used to dream about a M70 with a 24" medium weight barrel in 6.5-06 and a really beautiful piece of walnut with a Schnabel. Now I'm afraid to get one because it always rains when I hunt and I usually fall down at least once.

For me after many brands I've settled on a solid affection for pre 64 model 70's, every BG rifle the kids and I have of some sort or another is one.
I also figured it's ok for a guy to like them in their timeless factory form, custom stocked in a great piece of walnut as well in lwt synthetics, I like them all.

When it comes to handloading I do enjoy it but once I've worked up a load that works well with a certain rifle I'm done tinkering.
The more I hunt the better I fell having paid for great optics.

I can take the 300s for penetration, but if a deer with heart and lungs gone by an 06, ran 100 yards, he'd run 100 or even more maybe with same destruction from a 300 IMHO. Maybe further because the bang part is louder still.

The mags have never killed deer as fast as teh smaller rounds for me. I've had many more bang flops with 243, and only one with a 300 wtby

I used to like Remingtons.. Then I bought my first M70...

Things changed drastically at that moment..